Entrepreneurship Award 2015 finalists announced in run up to AFIF 2015
Four African-based innovative projects have been selected for the Entrepreneurship Award 2015, with the finalist to be announced during the upcoming Africa Finance & Investment Forum, held in Cape Town, South Africa from 24–26 November.
The four selected finalists include: Classic Foods (Kenya) which started as a milk company and has now expanded to fruit processing and other agricultural sub-sectors, whilst training and supporting smallholder farmers, Cherebut Foods (Kenya) focuses on two major sectors; providing simple food grains and effective cleaning wears, Aerobic Foods (Nigeria) which produces High Nutrient Pelleted (Organic) Fertilizer from chicken waste and Raphael Group (Tanzania), active in value-chain models to bring produce to markets.
The “AFIF Entrepreneurship Award 2015“, supported by the Rabobank Foundation, aims to provide an African existing small-medium business with a financial contribution and exposure/visibility for the winning project. The award winner, will receive a cash prize, yearlong media promotion support in and out of Africa.
“Throughout the years, the award has gained international recognition for the standard of the projects selected. This year is no exception and it will be exciting to see the finalists compete to win the coveted prize and to show the world the success stories coming out of Africa,” says Inês Bastos, EMRC Sr Project Manager.
The forum’s general theme “Access to Finance & Entrepreneurship”, will focus on innovative financial solutions to assist Africa’s businesses, showcasing the financial challenges and opportunities in agriculture, health, infrastructure and energy.
In addition to the award, the forum will also offer a Private Public Dialogue on Impact Investment, overseen by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the African Union. This will culminate in the development and endorsement of a Cape Town Outcome Declaration, advancing an “Impact Investment in Africa” Action Plan & Roadmap.
Held for the first time in Africa, AFIF 2015 is organized by EMRC in collaboration with the EIB, UNDP, DEG, Old Mutual Investments Group, Agri Academy, Pfizer, Rabobank, BlueCloud, ICD and IFC.
An expected 300 delegates from all over Africa, Europe, America and Middle East will be attending. This year AFIF will include a pre-conference Training on “Entrepreneurship” (23 Nov), pre-arranged B2B meetings and informal networking activities. AFIF will also incorporate The « Pfizer Health Entrepreneurship Award » and a Pitching Session by The Innovation Hub (South Africa)